Yankees drop series opener to A’s despite late rally

The Yankees scored two runs in the eighth inning and two more in the ninth, but it was not enough as the Athletics hung on to beat them 6-4 in the series opener in Oakland on Tuesday.

CC Sabathia started and gave up six runs in six innings as he once again did not have his best stuff. He gave up a solo shot to Coco Crisp in the first, a RBI-double that made it 2-0 in the second and the big blow was a three-run shot in the fourth inning by Derek Norris that made it 5-0.

The Yankees offense was non-existent until the eighth when Mark Teixeira and Vernon Wells each had RBI-singles. Then in the ninth inning it was Teixeira with a two-run RBI single that made it 6-4. Travis Hafner had a chance to tie the game, but flied out to deep left center to end the game instead.

• Bartolo Colon pitched six shutout innings, but the Yankees had a real chance in the first inning off him when they loaded the bases with just one out. But with Colon on the ropes that inning, Kevin Youkilis and Lyle Overbay each fouled out to end the threat.

• Overbay started in right field and went 0-for-3. He also misplayed a ball in the second inning that lead to the A’s second run. So having a first baseman in right field, who isn’t quite as good offensively as some of us seem to think, didn’t work out Tuesday.

• Youkilis actually got a hit and went 1-for-4. He’s now hitting .188/.235/.281 in nine games since returning from the DL.

• The Yankees 9-1-2-3 hitters went 8-for-17 while the rest of the lineup went 2-for-19.

• CC Sabathia has a 5.55 ERA even with a solid 7.3 K/9 and 0.8 BB/9 in his last five starts. He’s allowed at least four runs in four out of those five starts. He also leads the league with 14 homers allowed ahead of even Phil Hughes, who has allowed 12.

• Preston Claiborne is unstoppable. He’s still without a walk on the season and now has a 0.47 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 19.1 innings to start his MLB career.

One Response to Yankees drop series opener to A’s despite late rally

I get why they're keeping Overbay (second on the team in RBIs), because wrist injuries are prone to re-injury and Teixeira hasn't been back long enough. But why oh why they insist on using him in RF when they have guys in AAA who can hit a bit and field (Mustelier, Almonte, Neal) is beyond me. Overbay was supposed to hold the fort until Teixeira came back. He did that, but you can't expect more of him. Playing him in RF can't be the plan.
And what happened to Wells? Great in April, but positively a zero since early May.